What Lies Across the Sea?
by Annalyn
Summary: Legolas starts to have second thoughts about crossing the sea...I've updated and added Gimli's thoughts as well. Plz read n review thanx! ^.^
1. Default Chapter

Author's Note: I don't have the time or the patience to write chapter books so, sorry this is so short! Reviews are appreciated. No flames though constructive criticism is okay. Key word: constructive! Thanx.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of Tolkien's characters.  
  
The elf's keen eyes flitted over the grey, blue mass that lay before him. He sighed in spite of himself. This had been what he had wanted all along, hadn't it? To sail across the sea to the land of his people and finally live in peace? Yes this was what he had desired. He turned and scanned the horizon behind him. Trees dotted the green hill side and a meadow lark sang in the distance. To his right lay Gondor, in front of him he could see the green meadows of Rohan stretched out before him and beyond that, the dark, jagged outline of the Misty Mountains, and beyond that not even he could see though he already knew what lie there. Lorien, Rivendell, and Mirkwood, his home,(soon to be no longer) that was what lay there. He was overjoyed when he thought of what he would find on that other shore, and yet, he couldn't help but feel saddened as he realized what he was leaving behind.  
  
A gruff voice awakened him from his thoughts. "We cannot leave until we have eaten, Legolas. Would you join me for dinner?" The elf turned and a brief smile flicked over his soft features as he gazed upon the stout dwarf in front of him. Memories of the Glittering Caves and of Fangorn passed through his thoughts and for a moment he puzzled over how a dwarf and an elf could possibly befriend each other. Though, however puzzling, Legolas and Gimli had made it possible, becoming the best of friends there could ever be. Perhaps, he thought, through an ironic twist of fate we were meant to become friends. Two people whose fathers had hated each other so much, who would've guessed? That was behind them now, however, and dinner was not, his stomach reminded him. It wasn't often that the elf ever got very hungry and this was one of those rare times.  
  
Seating himself beside the fire he graciously accepted the bowl Gimli passed to him. Its' contents contained boiled water containing various herbs and spices, not to mention chunks of rabbit meat which looked as though it had simply been thrown in at the last minute. Legolas had never cared for dwarfish cooking but he did not show it and enthusiastically began spooning mouthfuls of the stew into his mouth. "I hope you find my cooking satisfactory, Master Elf?" Gimli asked, teasingly. "I do indeed, Master Dwarf, it's very original," Legolas replied. The dwarf laughed heartily and hungrily scarfed down his dinner. Thoughts of the Glittering Caves and of Fangorn passed again into his thoughts. He had actually been a little nervous when he first entered those caves, (a memory he thought was best left hidden) but the feeling had soon passed when he gazed upon the beauty of the caves. What he had first believed to have been a simple cave, deep, dark, with a strong stench like all the others, had actually turned out to be one of the most beautiful sights he had ever witnessed. He was glad in the end that he had agreed to go with Gimli and yet this thought only added to his sadness. What if there were other places like this to be found in Middle Earth? Other adventures and other people to meet? And what of his friends? His parting with Aragorn and Arwen had been sorrowful, and saying good-bye to his father had been sad and rather awkward. Not to mention bidding farewell to Mithrandir, his oldest and one of his dearest friends. Once he left there was no turning back, his former home would be lost to him forever. What if he regretted all this in the end? He felt tired and confused and questions swirled around inside his head as he sat there silently picking at his food. "Is the food not good?" Gimli awoke him from his thoughts yet again. "Oh no, my friend! It is quite good! It's just..." he paused awkwardly, "what if this is all a big mistake, Gimli? What if I should just stay here?" The dwarf rocked back and forth on his feet for a time before looking Legolas straight in the eye and saying, "Legolas, I went to Fangorn with you. I was terrified and you are the only person I would ever admit that to. What with all those trees pressing in on me and such...(Legolas chuckled in spite of himself here) but I realized its beauty. I don't know how, somehow I think that was your doing, but I realized that there is beauty in everything no matter how different. You taught me that and I'm sure there are many other things you could teach me as well. But now I believe there is something I could teach you. Pay no heed to second thoughts and regrets, they will only hold you back from your dreams. And besides, I could not do it without you. If you were not meant to sail this sea, you would not be here right now and nor would I." Legolas stared unbelieving at the dwarf in front of him. " My dear, dear friend, how much you remind me of the hobbits. No matter how bad or complicated things become, you always find a simple solution that others cannot see." Gimli laughed, "I must admit, I have never been described in that way before. Keep your chin up, my friend, for if it is down, you cannot see the sun." The elf laughed along with his friend as they gathered their things and prepared their ship. Their laughter rang across the meadows and over the hills until it seemed almost as song. Not because of the blessed Sinadarin voice of Legolas, nor the loud, hearty sound of Gimli, but because it was a laughter born of friendship, and so it was beautiful.  
  
And so it was that when all was prepared and their ship was catching the first wave that Prince Legolas Greenleaf of Mirkwood turned and called back to the land that he had once called home for one last time. "I bid thee farewell. I pray to look upon thee again and I swear that my mind will not change, no matter how beautiful that distant shore may be. Nemarie" he added beneath his breath. Gimli looked upon his friend in a new light now, not as a simple elf of the distant realm of Mirkwood, tired, confused and finally broken by the world's harsh torments, (as he had been but hours before) but as a proud and noble elf lord, embarking on a great adventure, strong and brave. And then, he broke into song, his silver voice weaving itself over the water like silk, and, as always, placing the dwarf in a trance.  
  
When I wander alone, Far away from my home, There the stars will brightly guide me there, As long as I'm on my own. When I'm lost and afraid, And all lights have gone out, There the sun will smile down on me, And chase away my doubt. And when I'm tired and wounded, On the battle field below, There the moon will heal and shelter me, From evil's wicked blow. When the sun sets and leaves me, And night's shadows cover all, There the stars and moon will see me through, E'er there be a night fall. And when the starts would vanish, No shadow would I fear, For though the moon would sink low, The dawn is ever near. All these gifts the sky does offer, Sun at morn and moon at night, No death nor pain would I fear for there will e'er be light, Far above there will e'er be light.  
  
And with that last note still wavering in the crisp sea air he leapt down to the deck and unfurled the ship's great sails. They caught in the wind and sped the ship across the waves as they billowed in the morning sunlight, like a bright cloud blowing across the sky. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Tolkien's characters. I know I said I didn't like writing chapter books but I'm making an exception this time! ~_^  
  
Gimli the dwarf sighed as he stared at the herbs and spices swirling around in the bubbling pot before him. He stirred it absent-mindedly and looked up at the horizon. The grey sea heaved itself onto the shore, sending great waves crashing upon the rocks. Right then he felt the same way that the sea looked; troubled. He did want to sail across the Sea to Valinor but something inside him whispered that this wasn't right, that he shouldn't be here and that this wasn't his place. He questioned this feeling and concluded that perhaps he felt this way because of the place he was going to, Valinor, the Undying Lands of the Elves. He would be the only dwarf there, that he knew, and he couldn't help but worry that he would be out of place. All the elves were fair of face beyond the measure of Men, let alone dwarves. And what would be there for him? Would there be caverns as beautiful as the Glittering Caves? Would there be caverns at all? If there were anything Valinor would not lack it would be beauty, the faces of the elves would contribute to that well enough, but what about other beauty? What about the beauty of mountains and of hidden treasures lying deep beneath the earth? His head swirled with questions and as he gazed into his stew, he realized that his mind somewhat resembled it. His gaze wandered to the lone figure of that of an elf standing tall and alert on a rock not a far way off. It was the form of his friend, Legolas, who was to be sailing with him and was really the main reason he was going to Valinor. Because he had befriended the Prince of Mirkwood on the quest to destroy the One ring he had been given the name Gimli, Elf Friend. He was proud to bear the title, especially after laying eyes on Galadriel, the beautiful Lady of Lorien, but now he questioned himself if he loved the name so much as to sail to the elvish land as well. His stomach reminded him yet again that he was extremely hungry and grumbled loudly. He hoisted himself off the ground and walked over to where Legolas stood, deciding that they had better eat now so that they could be on their way soon. "We cannot leave until we have eaten, Legolas. Would you join me for dinner?" His friend turned his fair face upon the stout figure and smiled briefly. Memories of their adventures together flashed through his mind and he knew he was just as puzzled as the elf was at that moment as to how they had ever became friends at all. 'I suppose,' he thought to himself, 'that people tend to forget their differences and grudges against each other when they are forced to fight together to save all that they know and love.' He turned and headed back to the fire on which the stew was cooking; (it was nearly bubbling over by now). Seating himself he poured two bowls full of the hearty concoction and, after handing one to the now- seated Legolas, he took a big bite of his. He glanced at the elf seated across from him who hesitated a moment, staring intently at his dinner as if he was trying to determine exactly what was in it, before enthusiastically taking a bite. The dwarf chuckled to himself and asked teasingly, "I hope you find my cooking satisfactory, Master Elf?" Legolas looked up at him and smiled. "I do indeed, Master Dwarf, it's very original," he answered. Gimli chuckled once more and thought briefly of Fangorn. He had not liked passing through it the first time while on their journey, therefore he wasn't thrilled at the idea of travelling through it again. But as he thought back harder he remembered his feelings when they left those trees. At first he had felt as though the trees were reaching for him, pressing in on him, waiting to entangle and trap him in their grasping branches and doom him to wander aimlessly through their shadows forever. He knew he had been overreacting a little bit but it was still frightening to enter a place so different than those that he was normally comfortable with. However, when they finally left the forest he looked at it in a new light now, not dark and frightening, as it had seemed before, but rather as a mysterious woodland filled with hidden beauty, instead of unseen threats. Now his mind turned to other things, however, like what lie ahead. What did lie ahead? That was what troubled him. He didn't know. What if he regretted going at all? There was no going back after he had left. Could he live with the torment of never laying eyes on the loveliness of the Glittering Caves again? Or gazing upon the mass greatness of the Misty Mountains, or visiting the Lonely Mountain, his home? Could he live with those beautiful memories and know that he would never again relive them? He looked up yet again at his friend and saw him silently picking at his food. "Is the food not good?" he asked. The elf started and looked up quickly at the dwarf, as if he had just been awoken from deep thought. "Oh no, my friend! It is quite good! It's just." he paused awkwardly, "what if this is all a big mistake, Gimli? What if I should just stay here?" Gimli was startled by this answer but he did not show it as he gazed into his friends' meaningful eyes. 'How ironic,' he thought, 'that we should be faced with the same problem and both think that the other has the answer.' He thought a moment before answering. "Legolas, I went to Fangorn with you. I was terrified and you are the only person I would ever admit to. What with all those trees pressing in on me and such.but I realized its beauty. I don't know how, somehow I think that was your doing, but I realized that there is beauty in everything no matter how different. You taught me that and I'm sure there are many other things you could teach me as well. But now I believe there is something I could teach you. Pay no heed to second thoughts and regrets, they will only hold you back from your dreams. And besides, I could not do it without you. If you were not meant to sail this sea you would not be here and nor would I." Legolas stared at his friend unbelieving and Gimli was just as startled. He had just found the answer to his problem! However, the answer did not seem to have come from him, it came from somewhere else and he was surprised when he listened to what he was saying for it gave an answer to both their problems that they both could not see before. "My dear, dear friend," Legolas said, still staring at his friend, "how much you remind me of the hobbits. No matter how bad or complicated things become, you always find a simple solution that others cannot see." Gimli laughed, "I must admit, I have never been described in that way before. Keep your chin up, my friend, for if it is down, you cannot see the sun." The pair laughed as they gathered their things and loaded them onto their ship. Their laughter echoed over the rocks and the waves and was so beautiful that even the birds were silent to listen. And so it was that when all was prepared and their ship was catching the first wave that Gimli, son of Gloin, looked upon the fair face of his good friend, Legolas, and assured himself that this was where he belonged. As if to prove this point Legolas called back to the shore that was once their home and said a final goodbye, for both of them. "I bid thee farewell. I pray to look upon thee again and I swear that my mind will not change, no matter how beautiful that distant shore may be. Nemarie," Gimli heard him mutter under his breath. And then he broke into song, and as its notes wove themselves over the heaving waves it put Gimli in a trance, and he seemed to hear nothing else. When I wander alone, Far away from my home, There the stars will brightly guide me there, As long as I'm on my own.  
  
When I'm lost and afraid, And all lights have gone out, There the sun will smile down on me, And chase away my doubt.  
  
And when I'm sad and wounded, On the battle field below, There the moon will heal and shelter me, From evil's wicked blow.  
  
When the sun sets and leaves me, And night's shadows cover all, There the stars and moon will see me through, E'er there be a night fall.  
  
And when the stars would vanish, No shadow would a fear, For though the moon would sink low, The dawn is ever near.  
  
All these gifts the sky does offer, Sun at morn and moon at night, Neither death nor pain would I fear, For there will e'er be light. Far above there will e'er be light.  
  
And with the last note wavering in the crisp sea air, Legolas leapt down to the ship's deck and unfurled its great sails. They caught in the wind and like a cloud swept them across the sea and away from the shore. And there Gimli left his questions and concerns to the wind. Naturally, they blew away. 


End file.
